Mandolin attachment for pianos



P. C. JOHNSON.

MANDOLIN ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILI-:D SEPI. 9. I92o.

154151574. l Patented May9,1922.

l g l d o 4 *i* of l l I W I UNITED STATES PAT d' Pirrmr c. JOHNSON, orCHICAGO, .ILLrNoIs'- Application led September 9, 1920.

To all 'Lo/1.0m @It may Concern Be it known that. I,,PHILIPXC.,JoHlvsoN,k a citizen of the United States .of America,`

and aresident of-Chicago, county. of Cook, State of Illinois, haveinventedy certain new andV useful 'Improvements in Mandolin At-vtachments for Pianos, of which the follow-` similar instrument; and toprovide such an attachment4 adapted for: fitting to pianos of usualconstruction to accomplish the desired effect.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is an elevation view, with thefront board removed, of that part of a piano which includes the hammersand immediately related members, the view being from the ri ht of Fig.2. r

ig. 2 is a much enlarged section at the line 2 2 on Fig. l, and includesa side view of a hammer and associated mechanism, the hammer being inits retracted position.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 except that the hammer is shown in itseffective striking position, with the button or string agitator in itsvibrating position beneath the hammer.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fragment of the tonguedbutton-supporting member and shows a number of buttons secured to theseveral tongue tips.

In the construction shownin the drawings, the instrument includes asounding board l, strings or wires 2 related thereto in the usualmanner, hammers 3 for sounding the strings, intermediary members 4disposed be tween the several strings and corresponding hammers, and asupport 5 for said members 4.

The bar 5 when the attachment herein described is in use, is securedrigidly in place r relative to the board l, and in front of the strings2 from which it is spaced slightly. Secured to the back of said bar is astrip 6 of flexible material, preferably leather, having a series ofdownwardly projecting y vspecification of Letters Patent.

ksecured yto the outer 8. The said strips 6, 8 and 9 are secured f thefelt 'damper strip wider than its main MANDOLIN ArrAonMnN'rronrrnNos. y

`semaine.109,113. f

sur orifice.

Patented May 9, `19,22.'

tongues constituting the members 4, to thev lower tips of which aresecured the metallic buttons `7 arranged to strikel or vibrate directlyagainst the strings for sounding the latter.

A strip S of soft shock-absorbing material, as for instance felt, issecured to the opposite side ofstripv 6,;from the bar aand a hard rigidstrip 9, preferably ofsheet metal` is side of the felt strip rigidlytogether and againstsaidbar 5 by means of fastenings l0,suchfas screwsVor the` like, but said strips are free relative to one anotherat andadjacent to their lower edges. The strip 9 is straight horizontally butv `has a peculiar curved shape vertically,

adapted tolimit the forward movement of the strip` 6 and so adjust theswing amplitude of the tongues 4 and buttons 7. Said strip or stop 9 hasa convexy face disposed toward the hammers 3 and strip 6.

The bass strings of the instrument do not produce desirable resultsthrough the application of this improvement,`and therefore the strip 6ywith its tongues 4 and buttons 7 extends over only about three quartersof the bar 5 and strings 2. The left end of 8, as at 8, is somewhat bodyart, yso as to extend down into alinement with the tongues 4 andbuttons7 at the right.

The above described device, which I commonly refer to as a ukeleleattachment, may be raised out of its effective position wheneverdesired,A as will be understood, the bar 5 being carried on the freeends of a pair of pivotally mounted arms 11 swung onpivots l2.

f The operation of the device is as follows: When the hammer 3, swingingon its shank 3', is advanced, for instance by key action as usual insuch devices, the blow is received directly by the button stem or tongue4 adjacent to its base or point of connection to the strip 6. The forceof the hammer blow throws the strips 6 and 8 backward against the stop 9where'their movement is arrested. The tongue 4 and button 7 are alsothrown backwardly and the latter is thereby caused to strikevimmediately against the string `2. The tongue 4 and button 7 being verylight and the button being very resilient, the latter vibrates backwardand forward `striking against the string. The position for vibration ofmembers 4l and 7 is well shown by Fig. 3. As a result of this action thestring gives forth a note corresponding in quality very closely to thatof the strings of a ukelele, banjo, mandolin or the like. As will beunderstood, the striker 7 being very light and the stem Li being` veryshort, the vibration period is very brief.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shownand described, it is to be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a stringed musical device of the character described, whereinhammers are arranged for actuation, the combination of an attachmentcomprising a stop strip, a striker supporting strip, 'n damper stripinterposed therebetween, the second. mentioned strip having tonguesprojecting beyond said stop strip, and strikers secured to said tongues,and arranged in `position for actuation by said hammers.

2. An attachment for use with a musical instrument wherein a soundingstring is arranged for actuation by a hammer, said attachment comprisinga stop movable into position between said string and hammer, a strikerlocated between said stop and hamA mer and arranged to be struck by thehammer so as to react upon the string, and a shock absorbing memberarranged between said stop and striker and located in the path ofmovement of the hammer to arrest the advance of the hammer toward thestring.

An attachment for use with a musical instrument wherein a soundingstring is arranged for actuation by a hammer, said attachment comprisinga movable support, a stop rigidly secured to said support and movableinto position between said string and hammer, a striker carried by astem secured to said support and located between said stop and hammer,said stem being arranged to be struck by the hammer so as to cause saidstriker to react upon the string, and a damper strip secured to saidsupport and located between said stop and stem, said damper stripextending into the path of movement of the hammer.

Signed at Chicago this 3rd day of Sept.,

PHILIP C. JOHNSON.

